Hi,
I have just received my pelvic MRI results back which I had done to see if I had endometriosis on my bowel- I have received the results today by a letter and it states on there “The MRI has demonstrated residual focal endometriosis and adhesions on the bowel and bladder”
Does any one know what “residual focal” means? I have searched everything I can think of on Google but there is no definition and no links of this to endometriosis.
Thankyou
'Focal' means isolated implants in the areas mentioned, rather than extensive disease. Given that scans usually only show deep endo it seems you still have some DIE. Assuming you had surgery, if you have pain you should be re-referred to the endo centre that did it or if less than 6 months ago you will still be under them.
Hi Lindle,
Thank you so much for explaining this to me, it was a very vague explanation on the letter and couldn’t find out what that meant.
I am currently on the waiting list for my next surgery which will be in May/June to remove the endometriosis. I had the MRI scan to see if it had deeply penetrated through my bowel so was unsure if the “residual focal” was meaning it was or wasn’t deeply penetrated.I don’t have a follow up appointment for this I have just been informed on the letter that the surgery will go as planned. I have not been told what they will be doing during the surgery and what sort of surgery they will be performing as the gynaecologist said depending on my MRI results depends on what type of surgery they do.
Hello courtneyhatts 😊
Perhaps it's worth considering requesting a follow up to discuss this as well as the surgery- you have every right to do this. I don't know you're overall situation / history so forgive me if what I'm saying is inappropriate, but if they are potentially dealing with deep infiltrating endo on the bowel it would be good to discuss in more detail what they will do in the surgery, and to check they will have bowel specialists on hand?
It frustrates me how little, and as you say, vague information is given to us as patients about really important things happening to our body! These surgeries can be pretty major if doing bowel work so they can't expect to keep us in the dark until the day of surgery. Of course ignore me if what I'm saying isn't relevant to you, but I hope you can get a bit more clarity on what they are planning soon 🙏 it is our right as patients to know exactly what will be happening and to give consent.
Wishing you all the very best x
Hi Sunflower6758
Thankyou so much for responding really appreciate this, I have spoke with my mum who has told me to call the gynaecologist to see if they can answer my questions as unsure of the situation due to the lack of information I had received and how vague it was also. I need to know if the bowel and bladder is badly affected as I have read that if this is the case then of course the surgery can be major. I have called them and the lady said she will speak with the gynaecologist with the questions I have asked and will write to me shortly. So hopefully they do let me know what surgery I am having done and what they will be doing in the surgery and also more of detailed explanation of what they have found in the MRI.
Thanks again x
Hello! No problem 😊 that sounds good, I hope you get some clear answers. As I said I don't know your history or where / who you're being treated by, but if you are to have more complex surgery I would highly recommend ensuring you are being operated on by an endo specialist rather than a general gynaecologist. This is just something I'm discovering as I have been researching a lot into it recently. It's so important that a person with the right expertise does the surgery- I have personally decided to change route and see a specialist which has delayed my surgery slightly but I think it's worth it to avoid potential risks/damage. Of course everyone's different and I don't know your situation but just sharing what I've recently learnt as it seems so many people are treated inappropriately. I hope this doesn't cause any stress but thought it was worth sharing. There is a great book called How To Endo which I would also recommend!
Wishing you the best outcome possible x
Hi,
Thank you so much again, really appreciate it! Will definitely look in to the book thanks for sharing that with me!
Wishing you the best outcome also x
Hi there, just a quick reply and apologies if I'm repeating others but I have requested my MRI images and been told to fill in a form. I contacted patient records admin of my hospital. I haven't completed the form yet. I'm requesting my MRI images because I was told the consultant doesn't look at the images but just goes off the general radiologist's report. Given i have read and heard tonnes saying that endo is hard to detect on MRI i find it illogical that they'd go off a general radiologist's interpretation. I was told the endo specialist only looks at images for patients referred from other trusts. As I've got large endometriomas on both ovaries which were picked up by a (private) trans abdominal ultrasound, I'm not reliant on the MRI in order to get diagnosis and have surgery but I'm not confident that there isn't any other endo in there, which is what the report says. So I want to try and get a second opinion. (By the way, I'm also unable to have internal scans but I was very impressed with the private sonographer I went to who was able to pick up the endometriomas even though I'd had scans before that didn't... not sure if trans abdominal can pick up endo lesions /nodules other than endometriomas yet or not...) Good luck with your journey xxx
Hi,
Thank you so much for sharing this with, I have learnt so much with joking this group and my knowledge about my endometriosis is growing thanks to all you amazing woman who always share your experiences and advise with me, really appreciate it!
Such a good idea to request the MRI images, I really wanted to ask to see them but never bothered to ask but something I would like to see mysel
Good luck with your journey also x
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